The failed meeting between Volodymr Zelensky of Ukraine and the President of the United States Donald John Trump should not be a shock or a surprise to anybody. Political pundits may have diverse views on this fiasco. Trump is not and will never be a genuine peacemaker as he is more of a destroyer than a builder. Thank God that the United States overwhelmingly backed him to the hilt, especially white supremacists who share same extreme views of sheer American manipulation of small countries, when they ensured his comeback to White House in the November 2024 Elections.

The United States, King of the World in a self- driven and self- motivated lust for absolute power to dictate to the rest of the world that he is fully in charge of the universe, particularly the planet earth, as an ambitious political demagogue peddling excessive ambitions to rule the world as King in the guise of being a born again Christian at the White House !must not surprise anybody, particularly those who are deeply convinced and convicted in the heart that Trump is a paragon of peace, justice and fair play. The big-mouthed zealot is a very close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the two have made up a “Jezebel Alliance” which will make the whole world dance to their tunes, even strip themselves before them in worship of the two secret allies. Trump is an overzealous, greedy and gluttonous and venomous power drunk elected tyrant who the world should beware of. His absolutism and tyrannical rule is now manifesting and likely to divide the world more than ever before. Trump will rejoice to see the ultimate downfall of Zelensky and the concession of the country to Russia which would be good for himself and his business associates in both Russia and the United States.

The quarrel at the Oval Office is a disgrace and a total shame in diplomacy. The truth is that Trump has had no diplomacy in his lifestyle typical of a megalomaniac obsessed with personal wealth inherited from his late father Fred Trump Snr.
The brutal dressing down of Zelensky by Trump who is ever interjecting when his guests have contrary views to his, must be the conduct of matters pertaining to his greedy rule running the next four years. All his opponents will suffer the persecution he has designed himself to suppress the members of the Democratic Party allies of Joe Biden. Joe Biden was very supportive of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and did his very best to protect the people of Ukraine from the barbaric and brutal acts of aggression unleashed by Putin who has an ally in Trump.

Ukraine never invaded Russia. It was Russia at the behest of Putin which invaded Ukraine and declared war against the mineral-rich neighbour which had intentions to join the North Atlantic Organisation (NATO). Trump is up to weaken NATO and the European Union and upon weakening these two European bodies, he would augment America’s hegemony in global politics with the support of Putin who has found a best friend and hypocritical comrade in Trump. The greats who sustained the greatness of the United States in global politics such as Ronald Wilson Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush, Henry Kissinger, Robert Dole, John McCain and Prescott Bush as Republicans must be turning in their graves over and over at the undiplomatic and brutal public behaviour of Donald Trump who lacks a firm political base since he does not have the practical and pragmatic competence of a shrewd politician that his predecessors had in the steering of statecraft.
When Trump sees cameras and journalists at the Oval Office, he gets over-excited and his natural nack for institutionalizing a personality cult in the sphere of absolute power and absolute rule takes precedence over diplomacy. Actually diplomacy is a strange bedfellow with Trump. He takes delight in shouting at fellow leaders and always disregards sound advice from genuine Republicans. He wants to anchor his strength in the control of all rich minerals across the continents of the world.

Trump said Zelensky does not have the cards to negotiate peace with Russia. He was right in his own right. However, the truth of the matter is that Trump does not want anybody to succeed in bringing peace between the Russian ally and Zelensky. Trump scolded Zelensky like a little grand child. His major intention was to have Zelensky surrender his country to Russia and this was going to help him access minerals to help boost the falling and failing business prospects in his business empire. He is a tax evader and a manipulative, divisive and proud guru of the white supremacists. It is now a question for America having a gangster in power and a law breaker making the law. To the best of my recollections, no man has been embarrassed as an ally of the United States in the manner that Zelensky was “undressed” by Trump before media cameras beaming the irate Trump and the reactive Zelensky. Marc Rubio the Secretary of State, a Latino self-proclaimed hand tool diplomatic house servant of Trump is now playing double standards, fearing that the axe of Trump would fall on the nape of his neck and decapitate him. All those Trump appoints to higher positions in government and his business empires must be high profile sycophants and political psychopaths who must be ready to be used as cheap mouthpieces magnifying him as an inerant and unmistakable leader of the world. He loves power and, given the chance to rule for the rest of his life with his mental lapses which he mocked Joe Biden about, he would be delighted to be the life Absolute King of the Planet Earth.

The courage of Zelensky at the Oval Office closer to a vulgar-ranting demagogue worshiped by miscreants and white divisive characters, moved my heart. Trump became red and his pink nose got a twist of annoyance and just became unruly and disrespectful of a fellow President in blatant and despicable disregard of international diplomatic etiquette which he knows little or nothing about.

Under Trump, America will be a bull dog which will bark and bite and break to pieces any perceived enemy of Trump. No one is capable of mollifying and taming the insane tyrant Trump who has had very good relationship with bootlickers and sycophants who could even promise to surrender their profitable business to the aspiring King of America.
The wagon-tail Vice President James David Vance failed miserably and shamefully to aid his superior Trump come to his senseless senses and numb sensibility. Trump will never ever condemn Putin, notwithstanding the mass killings of both peoples of Ukraine and Russia. Trump did demonstrate weakness as he wanted to display to the world his own version of lies that Zelensky does not want peace but a Third World War.

Trump had promised to end the three-year war in 24 hours upon being sworn in as 47th President of the United States but this was simply window-dressing politics of cheap popularity and publicity. He failed to make peace between Zelensky when he was bumped off power in 2020 and he will always fail to restore sanity to the world as long as he remains a true friend and business partner of Russian demon-crats who emulate his leadership style. The four years of prayer Putin (he could be an atheist/agnostic, only God knows him far better than us mortal beings) had embarked upon after the defeat of his admirer Trump in 2020 elections was the forceful and forcible return of his ally whose behaviour is just as childish as a five-year old child in a kindagarten.

The United Nations cannot end the war. The United States cannot end the war.Hundreds of thousands have died in Ukraine as failure of diplomacy has now taken its toll. Some of the figures pertaining to deaths have been underestimated. Rubio later said Zelensky should apologize to Trump. What a sycophantic appeal from the mouth of an over-ambitious Trumputinist disguised as a peacemaker with a cold heart unconcerned about thousands killed by Russian troops.
It is going to be the toughest time for Zelensky and his compatriots, but victory would not lie in the conquest of the Patriots in Ukraine led by Zelensky whom Trump wants eliminated by all means. Victory would be with the gallant warriors defending their country to the last drop of the blood.

Zambia could be exercising some form of neutrality in order to appease Trump and his cohorts. The Non-Aligned Movement established by the like of Josip Broz Tito of the former Yugoslavia, Fidel Castro of Cuba, Pandit Nehru of India, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Kenneth Kaunda among some others made it clear that Non-alignment does not signify neutrality. When the Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968, KK of Zambia castigated the Kremlin for such an abhorrent aggression just as he condemned the United States’ troops presence in Vietnam. The Non-Aligned Movement seems to be as dead as the dodo after the departure of its aforementioned key pillars and founders but its vision must be carried on by people in the countries where such great leaders who espoused its vision ruled. Ukraine stands in the midst of Trumputinist politics of disrespect of international law and diplomacy and that of responsible, peace lovers and peacekeepers empathetic with its peoples endless agonies widely exacerbated by Russia and its cronies deeply entrenched in the minds of Trump and Putin. Zelensky may be rooted out by the overzealous Trumputinists. The truth to be handed over to posterity will be the fact that there was one young leader Zelensky who fought against Russian aggression to the last drop of his blood. Zelensky knows no Uncle Sam to simply wave a mighty wand from a standpoint of loyalty to gain cheap popularity and publicity. History is full of brave heroes who fought wars with giants as dwarfs but conquered giants and established great governments and brave leaders who had zero tolerance of foreign manipulation and domination.
Africa must be wary of Trump’s desire to take our minerals to his country and impoverish the continent to the level of beggars without borders. God forbid!

Author is Shaddon Chanda, Luanshya based Historian and Academician

Minister’s Business Partner Exposes Corrupt Deals: Conflict of Interest in Broad Daylight

By Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma

Zambians were recently shocked by a viral video in which a businesswoman named Hilary Weza who happens to be a close associate and business partner of the Minister of Energy, Makozo Chikote, also a UPND Member of Parliament for Lwampa Constituency in Western Province openly explained how they run a company called Chika Investment. What has caught the public’s attention, however, is her revelation that the minister has been using his government position and influence to secure lucrative contracts for their business from the very government he serves.

This blatant conflict of interest has raised serious concerns, as the evidence is now in the public domain for all to see. The question on everyone’s lips is: Will President Hakainde Hichilema and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) act, or will they turn a blind eye because this case involves a UPND minister?

A Clear Case of Abuse of Office

According to the details shared in the video, the Minister of Energy has allegedly been pulling strings within government institutions to ensure that Chika Investment wins government contracts. This is a textbook case of corruption using public office for personal financial gain.

Section 21 of the Anti-Corruption Act in Zambia clearly defines such conduct as a criminal offense. Ministers are public servants, entrusted to work in the best interest of the people, not to manipulate their positions to benefit their personal businesses.

GBM Is Languishing in Prison for a Similar Offense Where Is the Justice?

This scandal reminds Zambians of Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM), who is currently languishing in Mwembeshi prison for committing a similar offense. GBM was convicted for using his ministerial position to conduct business with the government, and the law took its course.

Now that a UPND minister is caught up in the same kind of scandal, will the ACC and law enforcement apply the law equally? Or will they suddenly go silent, just as they have in other corruption cases involving government officials aligned with the ruling party?

Zambians Are Watching Hichilema Must Act

President Hakainde Hichilema campaigned on a platform of transparency and accountability. He assured the nation that corruption would have no place in his administration. However, his silence on corruption within his own government is deafening.

Zambians are watching. The evidence is out in the open. This is no longer about rumors or political accusations this is a case of corruption unfolding in broad daylight. Will HH allow the Minister of Energy to walk free while opposition figures like GBM are locked away?

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) must take swift action. Selective justice is not justice at all. If HH truly stands for accountability, he must ensure that this minister faces the full force of the law just like GBM did.

If nothing is done, the message will be clear: Hakainde Hichilema’s fight against corruption is a fraud.

Yesterday, the nation woke up to an alarming headline in Fred M’membe’s The Mast Newspaper: ZAMSTATS UNDER SIEGE!

“Three directors at the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats) have been fired after they refused to implement directives to falsify statistics about the 2022 Census of Population and Housing,” reported the tabloid.

It further alleged that the President had fired three directors at the agency and demanded that they reduce the number of Bembas, and instead inflate that of Tongas.

Obviously, M’membe sat back in his favourite Western made couch after posting the front page of his tabloid newspaper on Facebook, anticipating the long knives to come out for the man he despises with all his mighty – President Hichilema. Alas, he got a shock of his life instead! The posting attracted over a thousand reactions, with most of them either lambastibg or calling for the closure of his publication as it’s likely to instigate genocide in our country!

“Newspapers yamu kachasu! It’s just that tissue is affordable these days. This is only good for wrapping dry fish,” Mumba Mubanga offered a wisecrack.

Theresa Ndopu was quite blunt, describing the headline as disgusting and advised M’membe not to, “divide this nation with tribal and hateful remarks.”

On the other hand, Christopher Shatewa asserted that, had it been under the PF, this publication would have been closed a long time ago noting that M’membe was notorious for preaching tribalism as a way of salvaging his plummeting political fortunes.

Ackson Ngoma wondered whether the paper was trying to incite uprising in the nation by advancing the agenda of tribalism whereas Chomba Chama described the paper as a disgrace and a bunch of brainless idiots!

Before long, Mutale Mwango chipped in with following comment, “The Mast Newspaper is a successor of The Post Newspapers, the mother of tribal talk and tribalism in Zambia. It has continued where The Post had left off.”

In the same vein, Norita Mwanza stated that Fred M’membe has always been a tribalist who was hell-bent on dividing our beloved nation.

Uncle Koko couldn’t have put it any better when he observed thus, “The Mast is spreading division, chaos and anarchy among citizens!”

Rick Wowo described M’membe’s reporting as atrocious and called on the authorities to cite him for inciting tribalism.

Apart from this, Thoni Yungana exclaimed that the screaming headline was extracted from the Devil’s den, aimed at boosting the dwindling sales of a newspaper which was struggling financially; while Kuwabo Mbullai simply labeled M’membe as “pure evil!”

Additionally, Kabunda appealed to M’membe to stop this kind of reporting as it is not good for the peace and stability that this nation has continued to enjoy since Independence while Fulata Jere appealed to the authorities to “close this divisive, anarchist paper and let it account for its statement.”

Danford Mwenge intimated that such newspapers were a danger to society and didn’t deserve to exist at all while Jos Moses stated that such type of reporting had a tendency to breed discord and hatred in the nation and agreed that it was better to close the paper once and for all.

Rwanda featured prominently in the discourse. Kelvin Mwala observed that the headline reminded him of “how the genocide in Rwanda started as the media has got the power to destroy a nation!”

Sibongile Mudenda equally weighed in and called on the authorities to ban the publication as it is such headlines which caused the genocide in Rwanda.

By the same token, opposition party leader Saviour Chishimba had a few wise words. He writes on his Facebook page, “This kind of reporting is careless and irresponsible! Zambia is a united nation comprising 73 tribal nations that have always lived together way before the coming of colonialists. We must reject and trash this kind of reporting. This country has numerous issues that we must all be addressing our minds to for the goodness of all.”

Unless otherwise, M’membe must be reeling in shame after reading all these comments and walking around with an Ostrich egg on his face! Why should he continue with his evil agenda of sowing seeds of discord and disunity in the nation?

As most readers have observed, this is not the first time M’membe is desperately trying to drive a wedge amongst our people. Before the Lungu administration clamped down on his influential, The Post Newspapers for failure to pay tax, he would constantly churn out screaming headlines maligning the UPND as tribal, a Bantustan. M’membe is a danger to this nation; he has crossed the red line. He needs to be caged, pronto!

Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Social/Political Analyst
Mayeng’u, Zambezi